Near death was all it took
by Hopefulled
Summary: Angelina fighting for her life thinks over her feelings for George. A companion Piece to go with my Aftermath story.


I thought I would write a piece separate as my fic Aftermath can't cover this scene it being from Harry's point of view. So this is a companion piece to my Aftermath Story to be read after part 24.

I hope you enjoy it.

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The darkness was overwhelming me. No matter how much I struggled against it I couldn't seem to make myself move or even to be aware of anything around me. I felt trapped inside an unmoving body.

Pain….I could remember pain. I had never in all my days of being hit by bludgers in Quidditch felt so much pain as I did before the darkness took over. Grasping for anything else to focus on, I find my mind returning to the one thing it never seems to tire of thinking about.

I don't think I could ever forget the day I meet him. Of course Fred was there as well. Those two, well they weren't often not together. That changed a little when they started to notice the other sex, but not much, not really.

I was standing nervously on platform nine and three quarters. Packed ready and waiting for the last goodbyes from my parents along with my, sort of…well she was really a cousin in every sense of the word but by blood.

Tonks, as she liked to be called, or Dora by her father was in fact the daughter of my Mother's best friend since their days at Hogwarts, the magical Wizarding School I was about to start attending. I couldn't help but hope like mad that I would be placed into Hufflepuff by the sorting hat. It would certainly help my nerves if I had her to turn to all the time.

"Tonks, there you are. I was starting to wonder if you had changed you look so much I couldn't recognize you." Came a friendly voice behind us. I turned to see a head of bright red hair, attached to a freckled face and stocky body addressing Tonks who immediately lit up with a smile and hugged the red headed figure. I can still remember the uncomfortable question rising in my 11 year old self asking 'is this Tonks' boyfriend?'

But she pulled away quickly. "Charlie, meet Angelina, we're practically cousins." She declared introducing me. Then smiling widely asked him. "So have you polished your prefects badge to shine brightly again? Because you know it won't stop me pushing the limits and rules. I don't think I'll every fall into the normal description of a good student."

The boy called Charlie just smiled down at her with a good natured smirk. "I honestly don't think I'll have time to worry about your little pranks this year Tonks. My troublesome twin brothers are starting Hogwarts and Mum has made me promise to attempt to keep them out of trouble."

"Oh, like anyone in your family misbehaves." Tonks laughed then looked back at me. "Charlie's older brother Bill was Head Boy last year, Charlie's a prefect and well lets just say that I doubt Percy, whose a 3rd now has the ability to break any rules." She explained.

Charlie laughed out loud at Tonks explanation of his family. "It's been far too long since our families caught up. Fred and George are trouble. No doubt about it. But they are fun and do have a way of making people smile. Let me find them, they can sit with Angelina on the Train."

"Great idea." Tonks answered him as he heading back through the crowds. Turning to me again she smiled widely. "See, easy. Two new friends just like that. You are going to be fine."

Before I knew it I was being showed into a compartment on the Train and my trunk was being hoisted into the luggage rack by Tonks' friend Charlie. I was introduced to two identical looking, bright eyed faces who looked back from starring out the window and laughing at something or I suspected someone still out on the platform.

"Fred, George. I want you to meet Angelina she's a first year as well. Behave and be nice or I'll tell Tonks to prank you guys and believe me she could teach you a thing or two." Charlie warned them good naturedly.

"Wow, look at that Charlie found us an Angel and the word Angel's even in her name." The one Charlie had pointed to as Fred quipped and I wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

But the other twin, I can remember at the time trying to remember his name, but I knew by the end of that train journey I would never forget it. Just smiled at me, not the smirking wide smile Fred was directing my way but a softer one. "Hey." He finally spoke. "I hope you don't mind if we have a little fun along the way?" It wasn't cheeky or a warning but a real question.

"No, I don't mind." I smiled back at him.

"Sweet, take a seat and let us fill you in." Fred pointed to a seat and sat across from the seat I took.

"I'll be back to check on you later." Charlie left the compartment with what sounded like a warning.

Tonks just smiled at me mouthing. "I'll catch you later." With raised eyebrows.

No sooner than the door slid shut did Fred start talking.

"Right first thing we are going to do is let off a pile of dung bombs out the window as the train pulls out." Fred grinned at George who had taken a seat beside him.

George nodded the glint in Fred's eyes mirrored in his. "We reckon it will be a right laugh to see all the sad parents waving to their kiddies being stunk out."

I can remember thinking all of a sudden life at Hogwarts was going to be a whole lot better than I ever imagined. "Sweet, count me in."

By the time we piled off the train to be directed into boats by Hagrid I had never laughed so much in my life. We had been joined by another first year Lee Jordan , gotten lectured by Charlie Weasley and over all had the best time discussing everything from our favorite quidditch teams to which house we wanted to be in. I was now in two minds. The Weasley twins were sure they would be in Gryffindor like generations of their family before them. Hufflepuff without the Weasley twins suddenly sounded boring.

But the sorting hat seemed to certainly know what it was doing when it placed me in the same house as my three new friends from the train. It wasn't until I was shown my dorm that I met Alicia, but she soon became part of our group if somewhat not quite as crazy.

I fought the darkness again, remembering suddenly where I had been when the physical pain started. George was hurting, I was hurting but the pain of losing one of my best friends was nothing like how I felt not being able to be there for George how I wanted to be. But years have gone by and it's about time I accepted I'll never been anything more to him than a mate.

My mind wanders again to the time he first broke my heart. I hadn't even known how I felt about him. I'd know that over the years the twins had become separate people in my mind.

Yes, they were always together.

Yes I had grown up a little and their pranks sometimes got on my nerves.

But where Fred always just laughed anything off, and told me to get over it when I vented. I knew George would always seek me out, check I wasn't too mad, finishing by placing his hand on my leg as he got up. "We'll always be friends right?" The question he needed answering, showing that he cared.

The way George would open a door for us, send me a little smile and rave about how great us three girls were for the Quidditch team. It was like he was the team encourager with Harry as well while Oliver drilled us.

But then he had singled out Alicia. Talked to her more, the twins would be found apart more and I discovered the emotion called Jealousy. Fred just thought it was hilarious and teased them.

But it wasn't long till I would notice them holding hands, even snogging in a dark corner of the common room. I buried my feelings, but can't remember ever being completely relaxed with George since. I've always wanted more than just his friendship.

But George and Alicia didn't really last. Is it awful to say that while I held my weeping best friend my own heart was relieved?

Six months later Alicia was head over heels in love with Lee, I can remember watching George's reaction, and thinking he wasn't over her. But it hadn't been that, just awkward according to Fred, who somewhere over the last year had grown up a little himself, and much to my amusement was even starting to notice girls. It had only taken him a year longer than his twin.

Then the Yule Ball was announced. As much as the six of us watched in amusement as people scrambled to convince their parents to let them stay at Hogwarts for Christmas then scramble for dates. I never questioned who I wanted to go with. It was George it would always be George.

The pain pulled me back from the memory, this time I felt something, and heard beeping. Then my mother's voice. "This is going to work isn't it? Please we've lost too many in the last year."

My head was lifted and a liquid I could only guess was some sort of potion was poured into my mouth. "That's it, swallow now and you should start to breathe easier." A calm peaceful voice spoke and I knew it was meant for me.

I felt pulled down again and my memory returned to our sixth year. It was late in the common room and Alicia was sitting on Lee's knee laughing with the twins and I about one embarrassing ball date proposal I had witnessed earlier in the day.

Taking a deep breath and telling myself to be calm and care free I turned to George. "What about you, do you have a date yet?"

"Nah, I'm not allowed to take Fred as my date, so well…." He answered before laughing at his own joke. Well we all laughed actually it was a pretty typical twin line.

"Oh, George, I never knew you cared." Fred answered in a high pitched voice then turned to me. "So are you off the market yet?"

I just smiled and shook my head, seconds before we were joined by Katie.

"Man alive." She muttered sitting on the arm of my chair. "I'm so sick of idiots."

"Sorry. Fred, George. You will have to leave, Katie's sick of you." Lee quipped.

"Not them, the silly boys out there roaming the halls for girls to ask to the ball." She ranted. "I've said no to two Ravenclaws, one Hufflepuff and even a Syltherin. I just want to go and have some fun. Not all this romantic crap people are trying to turn it into."

Before I knew it George was on his knee in front of Katie, if he had been 15 inches to the left he would have been in front of me.

"Katie. My dear." He started. "I hereby promise to give you a fun night at the ball, I promise not to give one mushy romantic line unless you ask for it. But please, please will you ask me to the ball. Just so I can brag you asked."

Katie grinned while I felt my heart breaking again. "Sweet." She answered. "George Weasley would you do me the honor of taking me to the Yule Ball." She held out her hand and he grabbed it standing up and the next thing I knew they were dancing around the common room with George dipping her at the end of their show.

Turning from them I found Fred watching me with a look I hadn't seen before. I tried to ignore it. Which was why I said yes when he asked me to the ball across the common room. I just thought it was as friends and George well he wasn't free to ask me anymore.

But friends was not at all what Fred had on his mind. I realised that as I met him at the bottom of the girl's staircase on the night of the Yule Ball. He was standing there looking me up and down with such true appreciation I almost felt sick. Asking myself just what I had gotten myself into. Lee and Alicia were having a private moment and Katie and George were laughing like mad at the fact George had told her she looked gorgeous but then took it back as there was to be no romantic crap in their evening.

"You look stunning and I won't be taking it back." Fred whispered to me taking my arm. "Are you ready my lady?"

Why did I have to attract the wrong twin? My head screamed then, it screamed it now with the knowledge I had gained today at Fred's memorial. Some stupid boy pact meant that George would never go after me because I had already dated Fred, no matter how long ago it was.

That stupid mistake of choosing to think. 'What the heck I'm attracted to his twin. So surely I'm attracted to Fred as well and to just go for it.'

But my own feelings gave me away, I would almost panic whenever Fred kissed me. It certainly wasn't something I ever initiated. But the first time I relaxed and really went for it, falling deeply into the snog, starting to feel like real woman my heart gave me away. The truth of who I wished was making me feel this way slipped out.

I've always thought I was lucky Fred took it as a right laugh. Yes he had been embarrassed, we both had. But what started out as awkward had turned to a deep friendship, one where he and only he until lately had known my true feelings for George.

"Ange, baby can you hear me sweetheart." I was back the pain was back as well, but it had lessened, I suddenly found my lungs didn't burn like they had been when I took a breath.

"Mum?" I whispered, finding I actually could move this time.

"Yeah, honey, we're here. So are all your friends." I felt her stroking my forehead.

I opened my eyes hoping like anything that Lee had been right, that George had…..wanting to know…hoping to find out just what Lee meant when he had screamed at me. 'I can't believe you went along with this. Do you know what it's done to George this year? Do you? He thinks you are grieving for Fred because you and Fred had something going on again.'

But he wasn't there. Katie, Alicia and Lee stood there with my parents looking worried but trying to smile. I swallowed before talking telling myself once again, after all it wasn't like he even talked to me too much over the last year, to get over it. It was clearly never going to happen. "Hey." I whispered to them all.

It was hours later that I woke up alone in the white walled room that was to be my home for the next few days according to my healer. She had been very nice, but also told me I was very lucky to be alive.

But my heart was breaking once more. It was unlikely that I would ever play Quidditch again. My position as a reserve on the Harpies would have to be given up, my lungs would never be able take that sort of flying. I heard myself sigh before the chair next to me creaked.

I turned my head and sure enough it creaked again and something knocked the table next to me that held some flowers, the vase wobbled and I went to lift a hand to steady it, but a hand shot out of nowhere and righted it.

Gasping I reached for my wand which had been charmed by the healer to call for them. But the hand grabbed my wrist before another hand appeared pulling something down to reveal George's head. "Don't, he whispered I'm not mean to be here."

And I felt my heart soar at the fact he was here. But my rational brain took over. "What? It's the middle of the night."

"I know, but well my whole family seems to be on house arrest." He answered. "The Auror's wouldn't let me come earlier. I would have been here. I would have come with you if I had….." His voice half trailed off as he seemed to stop what he really wanted to say. Instead he pulled off the invisibility cloak covering him and draped it over the chair he was sitting on. "Anyway, long story short Harry lent me this, and Hermione came up with the idea of having Harry's House Elf apperate me here."

"Okay." I answered still slightly confused. But warmed by the fact that one of Georges hands still held my wrist, which he now slid down to take my hand.

"You gave me a hell of a fright." He whispered half smiling at me and squeezing my hand as he finished. "I thought I was going to lose you as well."

I saw the tears start to fall. "Don't cry." I whispered. "I'm going to be alright. Not a star quidditch player, but alright."

"What?" He questioned.

"My lungs, the healer doesn't think I can handle the flying anymore. Any chance you have a job for me in the shop." I tried to make light of it.

George didn't laugh or even smile. He just sighed. "Oh Ange, I'm so sorry."

I shook my head. "Don't be, you have enough on your plate. I'll be fine."

Silence seemed to fall on us. I was tired, and just wanted to focus on the fact that George still held my hand. While George seemed to sit there nervously oddly quiet for him till he blurted out. "I thought you were with Fred. I thought it was you he had been sneaking out to see. All those notes passed in the shop you two laughing around. I…well that's why I said no at the Tonks' yesterday. I couldn't bear to help you grieve for him if you loved him like that."

I nodded. So Lee had been right in one way. But did that mean George? Could it be possible that he had been jealous? "It was Alicia." I answered.

George nodded. "I know. Fred finally had the guts to tell me I guess he doesn't think it matters so much now he's dead. I didn't mean to half ignore you this last year, I honestly didn't. But well I never wanted you as a sister in law. I wanted…"

And he stopped again looking around the room, not catching my eye. While my heart screamed talk to me idiot. If I had enough strength I would have probably laughed, after all it wasn't everyday your saw George completely embarrassed.

I'm not sure what came over me, maybe it had been the near death experience. After all I've never been that forward with the male sex or I would have had this conversation with George years ago. "I never wanted to be your sister in law either, I always wanted…" Blow I found myself stopping at the same place he had. But now he was looking at me, straight in the eye with a hope there I hadn't seen since Fred's death, a look that screamed out maybe life was worth living after all. Taking a deep breath and ignoring the physical pain that came with it, I blurted out. "I love you."

And he grinned. A wide happy, eyes sparkling grin and I saw a glimpse of the boy I feel in love with all those years ago. Before it was replaced by the more serious George face I had come to know. "I love you too. I'm broken though. I don't know if I'll ever be the same guy you fell for. I've lost a half of me and I no longer feel whole."

I squeezed his hand wishing I had the strength to get out of this bed and hold him. "I know. None of us will ever be the same. But I've tried over the years to get over you, and well I've failed at every turn."

"Yeah, have to admit I've attempted that a few times as well." He nodded his head then sort out my eyes again. "If you'll take me broken though, I'm yours."

I released his hand and used the little bit of strength I had left to move over slightly on the bed. Patting the space I had made I asked a little nervously. "Hold me?"

And the next thing I knew he was on the bed lying next to me and I was finally in his arms. Maybe never being able to play professional Quidditch again was a small price to pay if it brought about this, especially when he kissed my forehead, nose and finally my lips. It was light, and soft. A simple caress but it was still the most perfect first kiss I've ever had.

We lay there silently after that and I had almost dozed off again when he asked. "Did you really call Fred, George when you were dating?"

I just buried my face into his chest and felt the heat rushing to my cheeks. "Seems Fred doesn't think I can kill him now that he's dead." I muttered making George laugh lightly in my ear.

"That is what he reckons." George whispered back. "Get some sleep, my love, my Angel." Kissing my forehead once again.

When I woke in the morning he was gone. I would have thought the drugs and potions had made me dream it all if it wasn't for the couple of red hairs left on my pillow. The clear evidence he had been here.

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Please read and review.

I know it's mush, but hey love can be mushy.

Hopefulled.


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